Frank Langella was slated to star in Mike Flanagan’s The Fall of the House of Usher as Roderick Usher, the towering patriarch of the Usher dynasty, but mid-way through filming, Langella was fired after a misconduct allegation, and the role was recast with Bruce Greenwood.
While speaking with WFPK‘s Kyle Meredith, Kate Siegel commented on the uncomfortable situation and praised Greenwood’s amazing work and decency.
“Most people who are correctly praising Bruce need to remember that every single scene that Bruce shot that wasn’t sitting down across from Carl Lumbly was an emergency reshoot. We redid almost all of it,” Siegel said. “It’s amazing what he did. It was heartbreaking. It was overwhelming and heartbreaking and disappointing, and people were hurt. I was tangentially — I wasn’t involved in any of the actual HR stuff, but hearing about it, knowing that cast members felt sad and uncomfortable and taken advantage of by another member of the cast, it was just devastating.“
Siegel continued, “Because Mike has spent so much time building an amazing set life and experience and family, and to know that one person can come in and just f—k that s—t up made me furious. I think when Bruce came, there was palpable relief from everybody because we had a scene partner, we had somebody who we respected and respected us, and a family member back. I think it just, for me, solidified that feeling that you don’t need to be tortured to be an artist. You can be a good person and show up and do your job, even if you’re playing somebody extreme, even if you are in extreme situations, you are capable — anybody’s capable — of being sane, pleasant and professional on set.“
Frank Langella believes that he was unjustly fired from The Fall of the House of Usher, and shared his side of the story shortly after the role was recast. The series follows “ruthless siblings Roderick and Madeline Usher have built Fortunato Pharmaceuticals into an empire of wealth, privilege and power. But past secrets come to light when the heirs to the Usher dynasty start dying at the hands of a mysterious woman from their youth.” You can check out a review from our own Alex Maidy right here.